Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Taking advantage of the beautiful Saturday and a chance to spend time with my friend Tina we decided to sitesee a la GPS. So we just randomly started looking for places we'd never been. It turned into a fabulous day that concluded at this mansion, after a trip to the Glendale Cemetery and the best view of the Hollywood Sign ever.

As we headed north on the 5 fwy our final stop was the Greystone Mansion. Originally home to the famous Angelinos, the Doheny's (as in Doheny Drive). The oil baron's son built the home (1926-1928) for over $3 million. It was their family home until 1955. AFI called it home from 1969-1982 then it was purchased by the city of Beverly Hills and designated a park.

It is now used for cultural events, weddings, photo shoots, and movie locations. Movies and tv shows to have filmed there include: Gilmore Girls, Spiderman, Spiderman 3, AirForce One, XMEN, Holiday, There Will Be Blood, Rules of Engagement and What Women Want, just to name a few.

The day we went there was a wedding, so we couldn't wander through the house, but the grounds were still spectacular and gardens were regal. You felt like you were on a movie set.

It would be a very fun place to see a concert or a play. Membership begins at just $50. It is a great way to spend the afternoon.